Sam De Penning asked Rylie Brown to join the co-ed sand volleyball team during freshman orientation at Iowa’s Dordt University, and even though they lost every game, the two bonded over their engineering classes. Three years later, he invited her to a sunset picnic on the roof of the engineering building, where he presented her with a photo book of their adventures. On the last page was a photo of a ring with the words “Will you marry me?” The wedding festivities were held over several days at the North Shore of Lake Superior, one of the couple’s favorite areas. Golfing, visiting a winery and a brewery and spending time with friends and family as they put the final touches on the ceremony and reception were among special activities, but what really stands out are the quiet moments the couple spent alone—at the first look where they read some of their vows to each other and stolen moments when they took wedding photos on the beach. Rylie’s grandmother used her skills as an interior decorator to create elegant décor, much of it from Idaho, where Rylie grew up. “Overall, we are just amazed by how much people did for us,” Rylie and Sam say, “and how loved we felt during our wedding.”
